This invention relates generally to a measuring device, and more particularly to a device for measuring the length or size of a V-belt needed for a belt-drive system. The device is generally V-shaped in cross-section and includes a bevelled length at an end for simultaneously indicating the belt length or size needed for the belt drive system being measured and for providing a complementary underlying relationship with another length of the device in order to bring about accurate measurement without the need for mathematical calculation.
Heretofore, when one wished to replace a V-belt within a belt-drive system of commercial machinery, appliances, vehicles or the like, if the precise replacement size was not known, it was necessary to wind a tape measure over the pulleys and along the spans between the pulleys in order to obtain a measurement which, because of the thinness of the tape measure, corresponded to that defined by the inside surfaces of the pulley grooves within which the V-belt fitted. Then, a correction factor dependent on the belt shape and size was applied to obtain the actual belt length, taken along the belt path at a location between the inside and outside surfaces of the replacement belt, the exact location depending upon the style of the belt being measured.
To alleviate the difficulty of taking this measurement, it was conventional to revise the tape measure reading by using charts of correction factors. Unfortunately, these charts were based on mathematical approximations, which undesirably, varied depending upon distances between pulleys and pulley sizes in the belt system. As can be appreciated, such correction factors were typically not available for unusual situations, such as where one belt pulley was substantially larger than other belt pulleys in the system, causing the tape measurement taken along the exceptionally large pulley to be substantially less than the length of a V-shaped belt which would be needed for such a system.
Besides being undesirably inaccurate, the tape measurement system practices heretofore employed were tedious and time-consuming and required a certain amount of skill and understanding on the part of the person doing the measurement and calculations. It was also not possible to judge belt-system tension when measuring with a tape, since the tape was not sized or configured like the V-belt needed in the system.
By the present invention, the disadvantages attendant to using a tape for measuring V-belt spans for belt-drive systems are substantially eliminated, as is the need to make a detailed mathematical analysis and proceed with mathematical corrective steps in order to accurately determine the V-belt size or length needed to replace a worn or broken belt. The present invention avoids measurement distortions brought about by using a tape of sizing and configuration different from that of the belt whose replacement path it is used to measure, while simultaneously providing a degree of belt tension determination so that the measurement taken is that for a situation having the desired amount of tension within the belt to be installed.
The present invention provides a V-belt measurement device for accurately determining the belt size or length needed for any of a variety of belt-drive systems, the device including a flexible elongate member having an origin end and a termination end, the flexible elongate member being trapezoidal or generally V-shaped in cross-section substantially along its length, there being a bevelled length near the origin end, with the narrowest point of the bevelled length being at the origin end, the bevelled length being structured for closely lying along a contact length of the flexible elongate member whereby the bevelled length and the contact length operatively interengage with each other while the device is within circumferential or annular grooves of pulleys within a system in order to accurately measure replacement belt size, by way of indicia on the flexible elongate member, with the origin end being the zero indicator.
It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to provide an improved V-belt measurement device.
Another object of this invention is an improved device for measuring the length of a V-belt needed within a belt-drive system without having to proceed with subsequent calculations using mathematical approximations to compensate for pulley groove depth and length, pulley diameter and the like.
Another object of the present invention is an improved V-belt measuring device having a structural configuration complementary to that of the pulley groove in which the replacement V-belt will lie.
A further object of this invention is an improved measuring device having a cross-section substantially the same as that of the V-belt being replaced.
Another object of the present invention is a V-belt measuring device that is readily and accurately used when measuring the belt run length of a belt-drive system having pulleys with a wide disparity in diameter sizes including one pulley of an exceptionally large diameter.
Another object of the present invention is an improved V-belt measuring device in which the measurement taken includes accommodation for the extent of tension desired within the replacement belt when installed.